Commissioners order budget cuts

Wahkiakum County commissioners on Tuesday ordered department heads to make budget reductions totaling $104,000.

The cuts are the first round in county government's efforts to cover a $1 million revenue shortfall for 2008.

The cuts include $5,160 in reducing the board's administrative assistant to a four-day work week; $60,000 in the sheriff's office, $10,000 in Superior Court, $3,333 for the prosecuting attorney's office, $10,000 in the health department, and $16,000 in the solid waste program.

Another $6,667 would come as a loan from the municipal pool levy, said Commissioner Blair Brady.

Details of the cuts were discussed in a meeting with department heads that wasn't announced to the public.

Sheriff Dan Bardsley said he would eliminate all spending in his Emergency Management Program and cover activities through the sheriff's department. In case of a disaster event, he would present bills to the commissioners. Chris Holmes of Health and Human Services said that department would rearrange services so that there would be no Current Expense Fund contribution to public health.

The board is planning to borrow $500,000 from the Cumulative Reserve for Contingent Liabilities, pick up at least $100,000 in a sale of state managed timber, make the $100,000 in cuts, and borrow another $250,000 from reserves to handle this year's deficit.

The loans would have to be repaid within three years, said Treasurer Paula Holloway. Commissioner George Trott said the officials were researching what must be done so that the county could use the funds without repaying a loan; that might require an election.

Commissioner candidate Wally Wright suggested the board consider issuing interest bearing warrants to avoid laying off county employees.

"You have to be able to pay them back," said Commissioner Dan Cothren. "We have a situation where you can't accumulate enough revenue to keep it going. As George Trott said, living within our means, we've got to get there."

Commissioners had anticipated tight revenues for the 2009 budget but found themselves scrambling when the state Department of Natural Resources, which manages county trust timber harvests, notified them in May of a clerical error which overstated the county's share of a timber sale by $740,000. That error, inflationary costs, and declines in interest revenue and state funding led to the unexpected $1 million shortfall for 2008.